Gimlet

The spec

Two ounces of gin, three-quarters each of fresh lime and simple syrup. Shake, fine-strain, up. It’s the Daiquiri with gin and slightly less lime, and once you notice that you’ll never need to look up either card again.

The original was Rose’s. The historical Gimlet is gin and Rose’s Lime Cordial, roughly 3:1, and some people still prefer it: sweeter, a bit cordial-y, no citrus to squeeze. The modern bar spec uses fresh lime and syrup because it’s brighter. If you want the old one, it’s a two-ingredient card and worth writing down as its own thing rather than “the other Gimlet.”

Gin choice matters less than you’d think. Lime is loud. A London dry keeps its juniper; a softer, citrus-forward gin makes the drink smoother. Both work.

Where people disagree

• Lime. ¾ oz is the standard; the Daiquiri’s 1 oz makes it tarter. People who like their sours sharp usually push to 1 oz here too. Test it with the card in front of you.
• Sweetness. As with every sour on this site: ¾ oz is the starting point and ½ oz is where a lot of people land after a few. Note where you land.
• Lime cordial hybrids. Some bars use a house cordial (lime juice, sugar, zest, sometimes citric acid) instead of juice and syrup. It’s excellent and it’s a project. If you make one, the card needs the cordial recipe on the back.

Make it yours

Add a few basil leaves to the shaker and it’s a Basil Gimlet, which is the most common variation and a genuinely good summer drink. Swap the simple syrup for a cucumber syrup, or muddle two slices of cucumber, and you get the other common one. Swap the gin for vodka and the card is the same with one word changed.

The Gimlet is also the drink most people have in their notes app under three different names with three slightly different specs. Reconcile them onto one card; keep the variations as lines under it.